London, Ont. mayor filing complaint against fellow council member
The Mayor of London says he will be filing a complaint with the integrity commissioner against a fellow member of city council.
During Monday’s Middlesex-London Health Unit COVID-19 briefing, Ed Holder commented on an anti-vaccine mandate rally that was held in Victoria Park over the weekend, saying, “It's not lost on me as well, that a member of city council not only attended but spoke at this event on Saturday. Unfortunately I'm not surprised, but I am horribly disappointed.”
Known for using colourful language in the past to describe anti-mask or anti-vaccine rallies, this time, Holder said, “Most of these people who showed up at Victoria Park over the weekend aren’t even from London…Instead, they pull like-minded knuckle draggers from across Ontario…”
While Holder didn’t name which councillor he was referring to who attended the rally, he goes on to say that “He's [the councillor] openly and visibly defying and undermining council policy by virtue of his participation.”
According to Holder, council doesn’t have the ability to sanction a fellow councillor and says the legality of the process in terms of outcomes is a function of the integrity commissioner.
When asked specifically if he would be filing a complaint, Holder said, “…Can anyone file a complaint, the answer is yes. Will I file a complaint? The answer is yes.”
On Sept. 14, city council directed staff to develop a draft COVID-19 vaccination policy for council members that will be similar to the policy recently implemented for city employees.
It would require an attestation from all 15 members of council that they are either fully vaccinated or have a health or Human Rights exemption.
Potential violations of the policy would be sent to the Integrity Commission for investigation. If a council member was found in contravention, council could impose consequences ranging from a verbal reprimand to a suspension of pay.
As CTV News London reported earlier this month, Councillor Michael Van Holst is inviting those who share his beliefs when it comes to COVID-19, to join his creed.
The Ward 1 Councillor confirms to CTV News London that he attended the weekend rally saying, “A freedom rally seemed like a good opportunity to speak to people who would be interested in the [creed] website, so I went and read the creed to them.”
Van Holst previously stated the “Order of Freedom” was launched online to provide what he believes will be a Human Rights exemption to COVID-19 vaccine policies.
— With files from CTV London's Daryl Newcombe
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.